Balanced golf ball



@cit. 9, 1923. 1,470,302

v w. l. THOMAS BALANCED GOLF BALL Filed June 14. 1921 d flziness as lnuen/ ar:

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BALANCED GULF BALL.

Application filed June M, 1922i.- herial No. 477,455..

tain new and useful Balanced Golf Balls, oil

which the following is iii-specification.

. My invention relates in general to in and outdoor game apparatus, and more particuw larly to gollfhalls.

it is desiralole theta golf ball shallhe composed largely of ruhher or other resilient material, in order that it may he drivena maximum distanw by a club, but 515 since the rubher composing the main structure of the ball is relatively light, it is desirable and usual to introduce a certain amount of heavier material into the ball, because it has been shown by experience that 29 a weighted ball is more efficient in play.

My invention relates to the arrangement and character of the material used to give the desired weight to the hall, and its objects are to provide a structure in a golf ball which will enable the ballto resume its full sphericity and maintain its correct center of gravity inspite of the heavy blows it receives in play; which will make the body of the ball relatively homogeneous throughout, and thus contribute to its perfect action'in play; and which will render the problem of placing the center of gravity of the ball in the exactcenter of the ball more easily cont-rolled in manufacture.

To secure these! results l arrange the material usedto give the desired weight to the ball, not only at and about the center of the ball, but distributed in a progressively diminished graduation from the cen ter to the circumference of the ball and 4\ throughout the whole body or the ball so that the-Weight oithe central portion of the ball is highest and the weight'of the portion at the circumference is lowest. And to assist in securing these results, I employ, preferably, tungsten, preferably pulverulent, as the material used to give the desired weight, or some other material whose specific gravity is not less than-17, since'l have found by experiments thatthe volume oi the material used for weighting is not sufficient to impair greatly the resilience of the material which incorporates it if the specific gravity of the incorporated material is not less than 17.

For the purpose of description of my invention reference may be had to the accom'panying drawings, in which Fig. 1, is a view in central cross-section or one form of my golf hall, Figs. 2 and 3, are central ml cross-sectional views of other forms, and

Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive are diagrammatic views, which drawings form part of this specification, and in which similar reference characters denote similar parts throughout the several views. s i

Figure 1 shows a hall in central cross sec tional view embodying my invention and in which A is a-centerpiece or? solid material, or fluid material, containing a high 749 percentage of tungsten; Bis a layer of solid rubber impregnated with tun ten, but of less relative weight than A; (J is a layer of rubber thread or tape impregnated with tungsten but of less relative weight than the layer B, and wound under tension; D is a layer of rubber thread or tape less impregnated with tungsten than L, and wound under tension, and of less relative weight than the layer C; E is a layer of fill rubber thread or tape less impregnated with tungsten than D, and wound under tension and of less relative weight than the layer D; and F is a cover of balata or other suitable material so impregnated with tungsten that its relative weight is less than that ofthe layer a a The arrangement of the various weighted portions of the ball may he varied in order to adapt the ball to the use of difierent ml classes of players. Thus, all of the graduated layers may be olrubber thread or tape wound under. the highest possible tension, in which case the ball is adapted to players capable of imparting great force to the hall; or the graduated weighted layers maybe also graduated in the degree of tension with which they are wound, layer B being wound at a low cc of tension and the remain-, ing' layers n wound at a progressively ll increased degree of tension as they roceed 7 point of T,

I in sp1te of the heav The effect of suc threads of the core of the which. case the ball is adapted to a player who does not employ sufiicient force to deliver a blow capable of giving the necessary distortion to a mum tension throughout the wound portion.

One advantage of the ball illustrated by Fig. 1, is that it tends to preserve permanentl its center of gravity and sphericity blows received in play. blows on golf alls of the customary kind and on the ball illustrated by Fig. 1, is shown by the diagrammatic views Figs. 4, 5 and 6, in which Fig.

4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and of the ball shown by Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a view in central cross section of a customary ball in which the weighted portion consists of a relatively hard, incompressible and non-resilient center piece; and Fig. 6 is a .view in central cross section of another customary ball in which the weighted portion consists of a soft, compressible and relatively non resilient center piece.

If in Figure 5 the line ST represents the force of a blow penetrating the ball to the then the force encounters at. the point S a heavy resistant and relatively incompressible center piece, and the rubber ball suifer great strain between S and S, and may be either broken or dislocated, so that the center piece tends to penetrate the weakened strands at this point, and may even move as far as the cover of the ball. As a result the internal structure of the ball is impaired and its center of gravity is displaced.

- If in Figure 6 the line UV represents the force of the same blow, the blow encounters at (point U a relatively soft, compressible an non-resilient center piece, and the whole body of the ball is atly distorted by the blow which is not 0 ecked by'the'yielding center iece. But thecenter piece, being non-resl ient, does not assist the resilient rubber of the core in pushing back the nonresilient cover into its original spherical position, and the ball remains more or less deformed, and consequently more or less eccentric in action when further used in play.

If in Figure 4 the line XY rep-resents the force of the same blow, the force encounters everywhere portions of .the ball which are sufliciently yielding to prevent the breaking or dislocatlon of the rubber strands lying between any given point and the circum- 'ference of the ball, and 'sufiiciently resilient to assist these strands relatively non-resilient er into its original spherical position,

and the ball tends to resume-its'full sphericity and to preserve its correct center of gravity after a heavy blow.

And I have demonstrated by laboratory tests and with the aid of a driving machine that a ball of the type of structure repreball wound at the maxiin pushing back the terial used in the weighted portions of the ball is'tungsten, will recover its sphericity and preserve its center of gravity perfectly after any blow possible to be received in play, since the force of the blow encounters atall ints portions of the still highly resilient though impregnated with a heavy material, owing to the fact that theimpregnating material is of a very high specific gravity, and the quantity necessary to secure the desired weight at a given point is not suflicient greatly to impair the resiliency of the rubber which incorporates it.

A further object of my invention is to secure a longer and more even flight in a golf ball. The flight of a ball is dependent on the de blow and t e rapidity with which it recovers its sphericity, and is influenced also bythe character and arrangement of the particles displaced by the force of the blow is transmitted at firstthrough the resilient. and relatively light ou'ter rubber windings of the core but is abruptly met and checked by the relatively unyielding, heavy and non-resilient center piece, with the result that what may be termed the rhythm of the displacement and ball which are ree of distortion effected by the blow. In Figure 5, the

replacement of the distorted portions or the cause.

In the" same way, the disparity between the light and resilient outer windings of the core and the heavy soft and non-resilient material in the center piece, as shown in Figure 6 results in a break of the movement of the force UV, and a consequent break in the flight of the ball. i

a On the contrary, in the ball as arranged by my invention and shown in Fig. 4, there is a graduated relation between the portions of the ball affected by the blow with no sudden change in the rate of distortion, andrin consequence the ball. has a smooth, steady and long flight. 4 3

I Another object of my invention is to provide practical assistance to the manufacturer in securing a ball in which thecenter of gravity is correctly placed within the limits'demanded in play.

tion is relatively small than if it, is-relatively large, and in the ,-i ormer case'the ball will show more eccentricity of action than in the latter. a

in' the process ofpmanufac l venue This sheet is clearly shown in the diagrammatic views illustrated by Figs. 7 and 8. ln Fig. 7 i? represents a given weight of heavy material intentionally placed entirely outside of .the center of .a sphere of lighter material. ln lBig. 8 R represents the same weight of a material of lower specific gravity distributed over a wider area but still heavier than the material which surrounds it. And in this case an error of construction equal to that shown in Fig. 7 does not result in so great a displacement of the center of gravity ofthe whole sphere, because the whole body of weighted material is not outside of the center of the sphere.

Consequently, a given error in placing the I center of the weighted material at the center of the ballin manufacture will result in less disturbance of the center of gravity of ball and less eccentricity of action in the ballemploying the structure specified in the description of my invention, in which the weight is distributed over a wider area than a ball in which the error in placing the weighted material is the same and in which the given weight or" material is concentrated in a small space about the center of the ball.

Another form oi structure which may be employed in a ball utilizing my invention is one in which the desired weight is given to the ball by so impregnating the center piece, the core and the cover of the ball with tungsten or other material whose s ecific gravity is not less than 17 that all the component parts of the ball have the same specific gra ity... Ur this structure may be varied by omitting the center piece, in which case this portion of the ball becomes continuous with the core, being composed oil impregnated rubber thread or tape wound on itself.

' Figure 2 is a central sectional view of this form of structure, in which G shows a gravity of not less than 17 center piece of solid rubber impregnated with tungsten or other materialof a specific V H shows a core of rubber thread or tape wound under to sion and impregnated with the same mate rial; d shows a cover impregnated with the same material. And each of the three pertions of the ball G, ll and J, is so impregnated with the said heavy material, that it is of the same specific gravity as each of the other two portions. I

Figure 3 is a drawing of a central cross section of a ball of the general type of structure shown in Figure 2, in which the center piece is omitted and in which K is a series oi windings ot impregnated rubber thread or tape wound on itself, and L is an impregnated cover of the same specific gravity as K.

The particular form of structure represented inFigures 2 and 3 is favorable to the preservation of the sphericity of the ball in spite of the heavy blows received in play,

since the material used to give the desired weight to the ball is of a specific gravity of not less than l7,v and the mass employed is so small in proportion to the mass minished and the whole inner portion of the ball tends to regain its shape after distortion by a blow and to assist the cover in re aining its spherical form.

%ince also the force of a blow delivered on the above ball and penetrating from the circumference toward the center encounters no inequalities of structure, the rate of distortion is uniform, and in consequence the ball has a smooth and steady flight in the air.

And a form of structure in which the material used to give the desired weight to a ball is equally distributed through the whole body of the ball, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, renders it easy in manufacture to secure a well balanced ball, and one showing'no eccentricity of action in play, because the center of gravity will be in the center of the ball, provided the ball is spherical in sha e.

aving thus described my invention it should be understood that there may be modifications thereof and variations therein without departing from the spirit of my invention or exceeding the scope ci -the a pended claims.

Vifhat l claim and desire to "letters Patent is:

l. A golf ball comprising a center piece oil resilient materialimpregnated for providing weight with material the specific gravity of which is'not less than seventeen, and resilient material impregnated with the same material as the center piece arranged @I'Ollllt'lr the center piece for maintaining the center piece in normal central position in the ball when the ball is subjected to the requirements of use.

2. A golf ball comprising a center piece of resilient material impregnated for providing weight with material the specific gravity of which is not less than seventeen, and resilient material impreg mated with the same material as the center. piece arranged around the center piece for maintaining the center piece in normal central position in the ball and returning the ball to sphericity when the ball is subjected to the requirements of use. 7

protect by 3. A. golf ball comprising a cover, a eenter piece of resilient materialimpregnated for providing weight with material the specific gravity of which is not less than seventeen, and resilient material impreg nated with the same material as the center piece arranged around the center piece for maintaining the center piece in normal cen ltd - piece for malntainlng tral position in the ball and returning the ball to sphericity when the ball is subjected to the requirements of use.

4. A golf ballcomprising a center piece of resilient material impregnated for pro-. viding weight with aterialthe specific gravity of which is no less than seventeen, a cover impregnated with the same material as the centerpiece, and resilient material impregnated with the same material as the center piece arranged around the center the center piece in normal central position in the hall and returning the ball to sphericity when the ball is subgected to the requirements of use.

5. golf ball comprising a center piece of resilient material impregnated with mathe same material as terial the specific gravity of which is not less than seventeen for providing weight, a core of resilient material impregnated with the same material as the center piece surrounding the center piece and arranged relative thereto for maintaining the center piece in the center of the ball against the. impact of a driving implement on the ball. 6. A golf ball comprising a center piece of resilient material impregnated with material the specific gravity of which is not less than seventeen for providing weight, a core of resilient material impregnated with rounding the center piece and arranged relative thereto for maintaining the center piece. in the center of the ball against the impact of a driving implement on the ball, and a cover for the ball.. p y

7. A golf ball comprisinga center piece of resilient material lmpregnated with ma- A rounding the center piece and arranged terial which does not substantiallyfietract from the resiliency of the center piece for providing weight, a core 'of resilient material impregnated withthe same material. as the center piece surrounding the center piece and arranged relative thereto for maintaining the center piece in the center of'the ball against the impact of a driving for the ball.

8. A golf ball 'comprisinga center piece of'resilient material impregnated with material the specific gravity of which is not less than seventeen for providing weight and which does not substantially detract from the resiliency of the center piece a core of resilient material impregnated with the same material as the centerpiece smire ative thereto for maintaining the center piece in the center of the ball against the impact of a-driving implement on the ball,

and a cover for theball.

9. A golf ball comprising a center piece of resilient material impregnated with tungsten for providing weight, a core of resilient material impregnated with tungsof resilient material the center piece surranged relative thereto for maintaining the center piece in the center of the ball against the impact of a-driving implement on the ball, and a cover for the ball.

10. A golf ball comprising a center piece impregnated with pulverulent a core of resilient material impregnated with pulverulenttungsten surrounding the tungsten for providing weight,

center. .piece and arranged relative thereto v for maintaining the center-piece in the center of the ball against impact of a driving imlplement on the ball, and a cover for the 11. A golf ball comprisingiacenter piece of resilient material impregnated with pulveruIent tungsten core of resilient material impregnated with pulver'ulent tungsten surrounding the center piece and arranged relative thereto for for providing weight, a

maintaining the center piece in the center of the hall against impact of a driving gmplement on the ball, and a cover for the ball impregnated with pulverulent tungsten.

12. A golf ball comprising built up layers of resilient material, each layer being imj pregnated for providing terial the specific gravity less than seventeen.

13. A golf ball comprising a center piece, and layers of resilient material built up around the center piece, each layer being impregnated for providing weight with matrial the specific gravity of which is not less than seventeen. t

14. A golf ball comprising a center piece of weighted resilient material, and layers of resilient material built up around the center piece, each layer being impregnated for providing weight with material the specific gravity of which is not lessthan seventeen.

15. A golf ball comprising a center piece of resilient materialimpregnated for providing weight with material the specific gravity of'which is not less than seventeen, and layers of resilient material built up around the centerpiece, each -layer being impregnated with-thesa me material as the center piece. z

16. A golf ball comprising a center piece of resilient material impregnated with material the specific gravity of which is not less than seventeen and which does not substantially detract from the resiliency of the center piece, a core ofresilient material weight with maof which is not' impregnated with the same material as the center piece surrounding and arranged relative thereto'for maintain-r ing the center piece "in ,the center of the the cganter piece ball against impact of a driving implement comprising a center piece diminution of the weight of resilient material impregnated with tungsten, a core of resilient material impregnated with tungsten surrounding the center piece and arranged relative thereto for maintaining the center piece in the center of the ball against impact of a driving implement on the ball, and for returning the ball to sphericity after said impact, and a cover for the ball.

18. A golf ball comprising concentric layers of weighted resilient material, there he rogressive diminution in the weight of the layers from. the inneost to the outermost layer.

19.. A golf ball comprising concentric layers of resilient material, each layer heing impregnated for roviding weight with a material the .speci c gravity of which is not less than seventeen, there being progressive ot the, layers from the innermost to the outermost layer.

20. A golf ball comprising a center piece, and concentric layers of weighted resilientmaterial around the center piece, there being progressive diminution in the weight of the layers from the innermost to the outeost la er.

21. A golf hall comprising a center piece ct weighted resilient trio layers of weighted resilient material around the center piece, there being proessive diminution in weight of the layers irom the innermost to the outermost layer.

22. A golf ball comprising a center piece of resilient material impregnated for providing weight with material the specific gravity of which is not lessthan seventeen, and concentric layers of resilient material around the center piece, each layer heing impregnated with the same material as the center piece,i there being progressive diminution in weight of the layers from the innermost to the outermost layer.

23. A goli ball comprising a center piece of resilient material, and a core surrounding the center piece comprising concentric layer of resilient material, said center piece and layers heing impregnated with weight providing material the specific gravity of which is not less than seventeen, and there being progressive diminution in weight from the center of the hall to the circumference thereof.

24. A golf ball coni'prisin a center piece a core sur-' of resilient material, an rounding the center piece comprising'concentric layers of resilient material, said center piece and layers being impre ated with weight providing material t e specific,

gravity of which is not less than seventeen and which does not substantially detract from the resiliency of the center piece or layers, and there being progressive diminution of weight from the center or the ball to the circtenoe.

material, and conoen- 25. A of resilient material, and a core surrounding the centerpiece comprising concentric layers of resilient material, said center piece and layersbeing impregd with tungsten, and there being progressive diminution of weight from the center of the hall to the circumference thereof. Y

26. A golf hall comprising a center piece of solid material, and a core surroundin the center piece com rising concentric layers hot resihipent materi ayers ing impred with tun en and the layers being so duated in w di ghi that the layer iediately surrounding the center piece is lighter than the center piece and the successive layers are progressively lighter than each other, the heaviest layer being nearest the center of the ball and the lgiggtest heing at the circumference of the 27. A golf ball comprising acenter piece containing tungsten for providing weight, a layer of solid rubber successively surrounding the center piece impregnated with tungsten and of less weight than the center piece, a second layerof wound rubher thread or tape successively surroundi the first layer impregnated with tungsten and of less weight than the first layer, a third layer of wound ruhher thread or tape successively surrounding the second layer ated with tungsten and of less weight than the second layer, a ton layer of wound ruleher thread or tape successively surrounding the third layer i ated' with gsten and of less weight than the thirdlayer, and a cover tor the hall surrounding the fourth Fyer and of less weight than the fourth ayer.

28. A golf hall compg a eenter piece.

contain' tungsten for or we ht, a layer ig'l solid rur successively furrounding the center piece impregnated with tungsten and of less weight thanthe center piece, a second layer of rubber thread or tape wound under tension successively surrounding the first layer impregnated with tungsten and of less weight than the first layer, a third layer of rubber thread or tape wound under tension successsively surroundsaid center piece and golf hall comprising a center piece too ingothe second layer and of less weight than the second layer, a fourth layer of ruhherthread or tape woundunder tension successively surroung the third layer impregnated with tungsten and of less weight than the third layer, and a cover for the hall surrounding the fourth layer impregnated with tungs the fourthlayer.

ten and of less weight than i 

